OBITUARY: Sem Joseph Lesley, 69

Sem Joseph Lesley of Smyrna, DE, passed away peacefully surrounded by his family on Saturday, April 27, 2013 at the Delaware Hospice Center in Milford, DE. He was 69.

Comment

Smyrna/Clayton Sun-Times

Writer

Posted May. 1, 2013 at 11:10 AM
Updated May 1, 2013 at 11:13 AM

Posted May. 1, 2013 at 11:10 AM
Updated May 1, 2013 at 11:13 AM

SMYRNA, Del.

Sem Joseph Lesley of Smyrna, DE, passed away peacefully surrounded by his family on Saturday, April 27, 2013 at the Delaware Hospice Center in Milford, DE.

He was 69.

Mr. Lesley was born on October 19, 1943, in West Grove, PA, the son of the late Joseph Lesley and Bertha Brubaker Lesley.

Sem grew up on the family farm along the Octoraro Lake in Lancaster County, PA. He graduated from Solanco High School in Quarryville, PA in 1961 and from Iowa State University in 1965 with a B.S. in Horticulture.

He proudly served his country with honors in the U.S. Air Force.

In 1968, he married his wife Barbara Cope Lesley. They spent 45 happy years together.

Sem retired after 30 years of service with the State of Delaware, Highway Department as their primary Horticulturist.

He was an avid outdoorsman who greatly enjoyed hunting, fishing, and trapping. His hunting adventures led him throughout Canada and Alaska. He also enjoyed competitive target shooting and he was the 2001 and 2003 National Champion for the 1000 Yard Target Shooting Competition held in Quantico, VA. At home, he enjoyed gardening, landscaping, and bird watching at Bombay Hook. He enjoyed traveling extensively with his family throughout the world.

Mr. Lesley was a member of The Original Pennsylvania 1000 Yard Benchrest Club, the Bridgeville Rifle and Pistol Club, the Delaware Center for Horticulture, the Friends of Bombay Hook, and the University of Delaware Botanic Gardens.

He is survived by his wife, Barbara; 3 sons, Matthew Phillip Lesley and his wife, Amy, Joseph Allen Lesley and his wife, Kimberly, and John Brubaker Lesley and his wife, Katherine; his grandson, Jacob; 2 granddaughters, Ava and Emma; his brother, Hugh Lesley; 2 sisters, Susan Derrickson and her husband, Paul Pelen and Mary Lou Pexton and her husband, Michael; and numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews.

A visitation will be held on Thursday, May, 2, 2013 from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. in the Faries Funeral Chapel, located at 29 S. Main St. in Smyrna.

Funeral services will begin at 11 a.m.

Burial will be privately held on Friday, May 3, 2013 at New London Cemetery in New London, PA.